


Our Masks

by beachtowel



Category: Naruto
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-27
Updated: 2018-11-27
Packaged: 2019-09-01 11:51:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16764586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beachtowel/pseuds/beachtowel
Summary: Kakashi and Naruto have a run in before they ever met.





	Our Masks

The words were repeated, but this time the laughter had faded away. They were almost lost in the heaving breaths that tried to catch up to the tired 6 year olds with blood pumping loudly in their ears. As he searched the face again for forgiving signs of humor, Naruto instead found hard eyes and a malicious smile. 

“Go away, Naruto. No one wants you here anymore.”

Most days he'd have a a remark; a joke in his holster, an insult in a tight fist. Most days he was ready. But today he had nothing on hand. He had been playing fair, wasn't he? They were being his friends? Why did they always change their mind about him?

He swallowed his caught breath and quickly burrowed his brow at the leading kid. He didn't dare look at anyone else or else a sign of desperation would seep out. 

He wanted to be ready, but all he was able to offer was an eye roll and a fake yawn to excuse his watering eyes as he turned his back.

“I don't care, I didn't want to play anymore anyway, ya know,” he dismissed himself casually. 

He kicked a rock hard, hoping it looked cool enough, then ran his way through the thick trees and back to the village grounds.

He took a right suddenly. He climbed a tree, jumped higher up onto questionable branches, and found a spot much darker in the shadows than the rest of the woods to hide in. He didn't want anyone coming after him. Not an enemy, not a friend, not anyone. And when no one did, Naruto felt proud of his ability to find great hiding spots.

He cried hot tears filled with rage. He hadn't even done anything bad that day. He even shared his candy with them to win them over in the beginning of the afternoon. He took his turn being the monster, and didn't cause any arguments. He wasn't crying sad, he was mad. He was crying mad. 

Naruto didn't realize he fell asleep hidden among the tree branches until he blinked open his eyes to a funny white mask crouching a couple feet in front of him. 

“Naruto?”

“Aaagh!” Naruto screamed like any academy kid would, tipping himself off the branch. Before Naruto met Death too soon, the masked figure caught him in their arms, landing on the grassy floor of the forest with a quiet thud. 

The figure let Naruto go when the kid found his footing again. Naruto didn't realize how big the person was until they stood up against the moonlight.

“Whoa,” was all Naruto could offer his secretly newly-dubbed hero. 

“It's dangerous out here. What are you doing out alone so late?” the figure asked a little too harshly for Naruto's liking. Just like that, he felt provoked.

“I don't care how dangerous it is, I can take care of myself fine, ya know! I don't need to give anyone an explanation, I am my own boss and I decide what I wanna do when I want, ya know! Just who do you think you are!” Naruto shook his fists as hard as his scrawny arms could. 

“Oh,” the masked figure stood back coolly. He reached a hand to scratch the back of his head. He expected the kid with the tear-stained cheeks to be completely scared out of his wits when he woke him; he wasn't prepared for the tiny squeaker to roar at him. 

After a moment, the masked figure put his hands up in a casual surrender. 

“Ok, that's fine.” He didn't know how to talk to kids, the last thing he wanted to do was argue with one. “I’m just doing my rounds. Let me walk you home then.”

Without a second thought, the masked figure reached out his hand at the short kid. The last thing he wanted was an impromptu game of “catch” where the kid could feel energized enough to make a run for it. 

Naruto, on the other hand, took a bit to process what he wanted to do. He saw the man offer his hand, understood what it meant, and yet all he could do was look at it. He'd seen his peers holding their parent's hands when they walked though. He couldn't remember ever holding someone's hand.

Kid curiosity beating kid pride, Naruto took the figure's hand and they started walking back towards the village gates. Naruto would glance at their hands, and occasionally up at the mask, but the figure gave nothing away as it looked forward to complete its mini unexpected mission. 

When they got to the gates, Naruto heard the masked man offered a vague explanation to the guards at the gates. One of the guards immediately recognized the tiny blond rebel, and made a comment about Naruto always causing trouble.

“Naruto here just picked a nice night for a walk, is all,” the man gave a half-assed joke of an excuse for what exactly, Naruto wasn't sure. Naruto looked up at the masked man again, noticing the dynamic that of the three shinobi, the masked man was the most respected in ranking, despite his smaller build.

“Uh, of course,” one responded, also questioning why the masked man defended the little nuisance. 

The man said his goodbye and offered Naruto a head tilt, all the while never letting go of his hand. 

“Show me the way, Naruto-kun.”

For the first time in a while among company, Naruto walked quietly. Caught in his juvenile feelings, Naruto was startled when the masked figure spoke again.

“You picked a good tree to hide in. I enjoy reading books there in my leisure time,” the cool man offered casually; always casually. “Well, looks like we're here,” the man stopped in front of Naruto's building, making it highly suspicious that he knew where they were heading the whole time. 

“Is that why you found me? I was in your spot?”

The masked man stopped to look at him, then offered a cool “Nah, Lord Third sent out a small search party for you a couple hours ago.” 

With that, the man looked towards Naruto's doorway. “Well! I hope you have a warm night,” the man gave with a gentle pat to his head before he suddenly transported himself away. 

“Wait, who are you?” he asked a moment too late.

Naruto ran into his apartment and after pushing his shoes off, got into bed without a shower. He was only able to wonder about the man that helped him tonight for a little while before sleep overtook him. His last couple thoughts were that one, he knew that ninja was great. Naruto was going to be a great ninja too. And... a kind one, too. Just like the man. He was going to help kids too. He was going to learn the masked man's identity one day and make him his rival one day.

And the second thought was that the guy had on a cool mask. He didn't know shinobi wore masks, but Naruto was sure he'd seen a similar one before at the mask merchant in the village. He promised to stop by to get one as soon as he got the chance. 

**Author's Note:**

> Kakashi has too many people trying to be his rival. He's so popular and cool.
> 
> The next day Naruto got pushed down by the merchant. You remember that messed up scene? It haunts me. Please leave kudos or a comment for feedback if you enjoyed it!


End file.
